Sheet-feeding mechanism



Nov. 19, 1929.

A. BROADMEYER SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 i7 & E J: E -E INVENTOR. flME/"Z Broad mega];

A TTORNE Y.

Nov. 19, 1929. I BRQADMEYER 1,736,483

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed 19, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VEN TOR.

J -E' JZZ bert Broadnzeyez;

ATTORNEY.

NOV. 19, 1929. I A BRQADMEYER 1,736,483

SHEET FEEDING MECHANISM Filed Aug. 19, 1927 5 Sheets-Shee 3 INVENTOR.

E. 26 24 Jllert Eroadmeyer,

A TTORNE Y.

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ALBERT BROADMEYER, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. O.

HICKOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A COR- PORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA SHEET-[FEEDING MECHANISM Application fi-led August 19, 1927. Serial No. 214,037.

The present invention relates to feeding mechanism for sheets, and the object is to provide novel means for controlling the operation of the feeding mechanism, and also '5} to effect the automatic elevation of the sheets prior to their feeding movement. In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment of the invention applied to a pile feeder,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a viewdiagrammatic in its character and illustrating the operating and controlling mechanisms.

Figure 4 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale of the controlling valve,

Figure 5 is a longitudinal sectional view through the same and the operating motor for said valve,

Figure 6 is a longitudnial sectional view through one of the lifting devices,

Figure 7 is aview in elevation and section of one of the blast nozzles,

Figure 8 is a view of one of the supporting brackets for a lifting device and blast nozzle,

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view of the controlling shoe.

The invention is shown in connection with a pile feeder, though this type of support is not essential. As illustrated, a frame 9 is provided, in which is a vertically movable table 10, on which a pile of sheets 11 is placed. This table is elevated automatically as the sheets are fed therefrom by means well known. In rear of the table is a conveyor, a portion of which is shown at 12, for carrying off the sheets, and thesheets are successively fed to this conveyor by a rotary suction roller 13 which may be of the character shown I in my Patent .No. 1,494,303, dated May 13,

An air pump 14 is provided, to the intake 15 of which is connected a conduit 16 that is in communication with the nipple 17 .of a valve casing 18. A branch conduit 19 leads from the valve casing 18 tosthe roller 13, being connected to a nipple 20 of said valve casing 18 and on the opposite side to the nip: ple 17. Means are provided on the nlpple 20 for varying the amount of vacuum created in the branch conduit 19. This may be provided through the medium of relief ports 21 controlled by a rotary disk valve 22. The mechanism shown constitutes the subject-matter of a patent, granted to me under date of Mar. 7,

1922, as No. 1,408,688. Connected to the lower ister with the interior of said nipples. This valve is also provided with a tubular end portion 29, the bore of which is in communication with the interior of the elbow 23 and said end portion has a lateral port 30 that is movable into communication with the interior of the nipple 17 when the valve is raised. Consequently'the intake 15 of the pump 14 may be thrown into communication with either the branch conduit 19 leading to the suction roller 14, or with the conduits 26.

Mounted over the table 10 are supporting rods 31 that extend from the front corners of said table, and adjustably mounted on the front ends of said rods are brackets 32 in which are adjustably mounted cylinders 33. These cylinders contain pistons 34 and tubular piston rods 35 that project below the cylinders 33 and terminate in heads 36. Passageways 37 extend through the pistons 34, piston rods 35 and heads 36, and terminate in ports 37?, opening through the lower ends of said heads 36. To the upper ends of the cylinders 33 the branch conduits 26 are connected.

At the rear end of the table are one, or more blast nozzles 38 connected by a hose 39 with the discharge side of the pump 14.

A second air pump 40 is also preferably employed, and has a discharge conduit 41 branched as showmat 42, and leading to blast nozzles 43 mounted on the brackets 32 and located in advance of the heads 36.

A P matic motor i mp y d for p rating the valve 27. It consists of a cylinder 44 in which is a piston 45 having a piston rod 46 connected to said valve 27. A conduit 47, connected to the intake side of the pump 40, is also connected to a T-coupling 48 mounted on the upper end of the cylinder 44 and in communication with the upper end of the interior thereof. From this T-coupling the conduit 47 extends in the form of a pipe 49 to a hollow shoe 50 mounted between the suction roller 13 and the conveyor 12. This suction shoe, as shown in Figure 9, is provided in its under face with a plurality of ports 51. As indicated in Figure 1, the sheets fed by the suction roller 13 traverse the shoe 50 and thus cover and uncover relief ports 51.

The operation of the mechanism is as follows:

Assuming the valve 27 in a position to afford communication between the suction conduit 16 and branch 19, communication between said conduit 16 and the branch condnit 26 is out off. Consequently a partial vacuum will be created in the-suction roller 13. As this suction'roller is rotated the topmost sheet will be engaged thereby and moved to the conveyor 12. As the sheet thus moves it traverses the shoe 50 and closes the relief ports 51. The result will be that the away from the table- 10. When the valve has been elevated the intake will take place through the conduits 26. This in turn will create a partial vacuum in the cylinders 33 and heads 36. The result will be that the front corners of the topmost sheet will become attached to said heads and the vacuum created in the cylinders 33 will now raise the pistons 34 and consequently the heads 37 with the sheet attached thereto. A continuous air blast is flowing from the nozzles 43- and nozzles 38. When the front end of the sheetis thus elevated the air blast will pass beneath the sheet, causing the entire sheet to float. By this time the rear end of the advanced sheet will have left the shoe 50, and the relief ports 51 will be again uncovered.

.- As a consequence the valve 27 will drop, thus stopping the suction through the branch pipes 26 and again creating suction through the branchpipe 19. The lifting devices thus become inactive and drop, while the floating sheet becomes attached to the rotating suction roller 13 and is fed to the conveyor. The action is then repeated as long as the sheets are delivered.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation: and many advanbe apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for sheets to be fed, of means for feeding sheets from the support, a sheet-lifting device, and means controlled by the sheets fed for effecting the operation of the sheet-lifting device.

2. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for sheets to be fed, of means for feeding sheets from the support, a pneumatically operated sheetlifting devire, and means controlled bythe sheets fed for controlling the operation of the sheet-lifting device.

3. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a table for supporting a pile of sheets, of means for feeding sheets successively from the table, a conveyor that receives the sheets moved .by the feeding means, a cylinder over the table, a plunger inthe cylinder having sheet engaging and elevating means, a suction conduit connected with the cylinder, a controlling valve in said conduit, a suction motor connected to the valve for operating said valve, means connected to the motor and conduit for creating suction 'in both, and relief mechanism for the suction including a vacuum relief member having a shoe interposed between the feeder v and conveyor and traversed by the sheets,

said shoe. having a. relief port covered and uncovered by said sheets.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with asupport for sheets, of a device for feeding sheets successively from the support, a device for lifting sheets prior to their being fed by the feeding device, and mechanism controlled by the sheets fed for effecting the operation of the feeding and lifting devices.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth,

the combination with a support for sheets,

of a device for. feeding sheets successively from the support, a device for lifting sheets prior to their being fed by the feeding device, and mechanism controlled by the sheets fed for effecting the alternate operation of the feeding and lifting devices.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for sheets, of a pneumatic'device for feeding sheets successively from the support, a pneumatic device for lifting sheets prior to their being fed by the feeding device, and mechanism controlled by the sheets fed for causing pneumatic impulses to alternately operate the feeding and lifting devices. 7

7 In apparatus of the character set forth,

the combination with a support for sheets, of

. a suction roller above the support for successively feeding sheets therefrom, a cylinder above the support, a sheet engaging and lifting plunger in the cylinder, a suction pump,

a conduit connected to the intake of the pump and having a branch connected to the suction roller and a branch connected to the cylinder,

10 a valve for connecting the conduit with either branch, and means controlled by the sheets fed for operating the valve.

8. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a support for sheets, of

a suction roller above the support for successively feeding sheets therefrom, a" cylinder above the support, a sheet engaging and lifting plunger in the cylinder, a suction pump, a conduit connected to the intake of the pump and having a branch connected to the suction roller and a branch connected to the cylinder, a valve connecting the conduit with either branch, a suction motorfor operating the valve, means for creating suction in the 5 motor, and means for preventing the creation of such suction including a shoe traversed by the sheets moved by the suction roller and having a relief port that is covered and uncovered by said sheets.

9. In apparatus ofthe character set forth,

the combination with a suction feeder, of means for creating suction, a conduit connecting the suction creating means and feeder, a valve in the conduit that cuts off communi- 3 cation between the suction creating means and the feeder and opens communication between the suction creating meansand a diiferent source of air supply thereto, and vice versa, a pneumatic motor for actuating the valve,

40 and means for causing an unbalanced pressure in the motor to effect its operation, said means including a vent that is covered and uncovered by the sheets fed.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

ALBERT BROADMEYER. 

